News Release > Entergy to Customers: Stay Prepared as We Enter Height of Hurricane Season

Entergy to Customers: Stay Prepared as We Enter Height of Hurricane Season

08/21/2017

Michael Burns
504-576-4132
mburns@entergy.com   

Charlotte J. Cavell
504-576-4132
ccavell@entergy.com

Planning tips, communication tools available to help customers stay Storm Ready

The height of what experts have said could be an “extremely active” 2017 storm season is here. Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans want to make sure everyone is prepared if a major storm threatens the region.

Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say the season has “the potential to be extremely active,” with a 60 percent chance of an above-normal season.

“Our experience with Tropical Storm Cindy in late June served as a good reminder of the need to always be prepared,” said Dennis Dawsey, Entergy’s vice president of customer service in Louisiana. “Our entire workforce stays Storm Ready through continuous training and preparation so that we can safely, quickly and effectively respond to whatever storms may come our way.”

Planning Remains Key to Restoration

“While we hope another major storm doesn’t strike the Gulf Coast, we’re always prepared for that possibility, and we strongly urge all of our customers to be prepared as well,” Dawsey said. “Customers should be reviewing their storm plans and making sure their emergency supply kits are ready. Waiting to prepare until a storm is bearing down on us is too late.”

When there’s a weather threat, Entergy uses weather forecasts and computer models based on experience with past storms to predict an estimated number and duration of outages that could occur. Based on those estimates, Entergy will call on restoration workers from around the country through mutual-assistance agreements to safely get the power back on as quickly as possible. 

Stay Prepared and Informed

Just as important to the companies as restoring power is the ability to keep customers informed. Entergy does this in a number of ways:

• A free app is available for iPhone or Android at entergyapp.com. Customers can use the app to report outages or check on the status of power at their homes or businesses.
• Entergy’s View Outages website includes maps that show where outages are located and gives information about restoration progress.
• Customers can send and receive text messages about storm and restoration efforts. Signing up is easy: simply text REG to 368374.
• The Entergy Storm Center website has storm safety, preparation, restoration and other information that is regularly updated.
• Operation: Storm Ready is a free downloadable guide that helps customers plan and prepare for weather emergencies.

Social media plays an important role in keeping customers informed, and Entergy places a high priority on keeping social media sites updated throughout a major event. Follow Entergy Louisiana on Twitter at @EntergyLA and on Facebook at facebook.com/EntergyLA. Follow Entergy New Orleans on Twitter at @EntergyNOLA and on Facebook at facebook.com/EntergyNOLA. And you always can access the main Entergy accounts at @Entergy or facebook.com/Entergy.

Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers and natural gas service to more than 93,000 customers in the greater Baton Rouge area. The company has operations in southern, central and northeastern Louisiana.

Entergy New Orleans, Inc. is an electric and gas utility that serves Louisiana’s Orleans Parish. The company provides electricity to more than 198,000 customers and natural gas to more than 106,000 customers. Both companies are subsidiaries of Entergy Corporation.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of approximately $10.8 billion and nearly 13,000 employees.

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entergylouisiana.com
facebook.com/EntergyLA
Twitter: @EntergyLA

entergyneworleans.com
facebook.com/EntergyNOLA
Twitter: @EntergyNOLA